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What Will the Flu Vaccine Do?

The flu vaccine protects you against the strains of the influenza virus that are most likely to be circulating this flu season. The vaccine is available every year in our pharmacy to adults and children at risk of flu and its complications.

The flu vaccine helps your immune system to produce antibodies that combat the virus to help reduce your chances of getting sick and experiencing any complications The flu vaccine starts to work within 2 weeks after administration.

It’s important to remember that you need to get a new vaccine every autumn to stay protected because there are many different strains of the flu circulating each year but also because the protective antibodies your previous vaccination produced decline over time.

The vaccine is not 100% effective and you may still get flu after you have the vaccine, but it’s likely to be milder with no complications and you will recover more quickly.

Flu vaccines can reduce:

• the severity of illness

• complications

• flu-related hospitalisations

• admissions to critical care units

Why is it Important to Protect Yourself & Your Family from the Flu?

The influenza virus is an unpredictable virus. If you are healthy you will usually recover in seven days. However, flu can be very serious for certain groups of people and can cause serious illness and even death.

In Ireland, between 200 & 500 people die from the flu each winter. Each year, flu causes up to five million cases of severe disease and over half a million deaths worldwide.

Complications of flu include bronchitis, pneumonia, ear infections and rarely acute encephalopathy (swelling of the brain). Serious complications of flu are more likely if you have a chronic medical condition or if you are aged 65 years or older. Pregnant women are also at increased risk of flu complications.

Is the Flu Vaccination Safe?

Flu vaccines have been given to millions of people worldwide for over 60 years, including pregnant women. Reactions to the vaccine are generally mild. You may have a mild fever and aching muscles for a couple of days after having the vaccine. Your arm may also be a bit sore where you got the injection but serious side effects of the flu vaccine are very rare.

NASAL SPRAY VACCINE FOR CHILDREN

For children, you don’t have to worry about the fear of needles. The nasal spray flu vaccine is given to children as a small spray into each nostril of a child’s nose. The child can breathe normally while getting the vaccine – there is no need to take a deep breath or sniff. This painless vaccine will work even if the child has a runny nose, sneezes or blows their nose after the dose.

Who should NOT get the vaccine?

• Persons with a history of severe allergic (anaphylaxis) reaction to a previous dose of the vaccine or any of its constituents

• People with an egg allergy must see their GP in order to be vaccinated

• Vaccination should be postponed if you have a temperature greater than 38 °C

• Vaccination is contraindicated for persons taking more than one combination checkpoint inhibitors (checkpoint inhibitor therapy is a form of cancer immunotherapy, please discuss with your pharmacist).

• The intranasal vaccine is contraindicated in:

  • Those currently experiencing an acute exacerbation of asthma symptoms

  • Persons who regularly require oral steroids for the treatment of asthma

  • Pregnancy

  • Children who live with severely immunosuppressed persons

  • Persons with significant immunosuppression due to disease or treatment

WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR A FREE FLU VACCINE?

The vaccine is FREE to everyone in the at-risk groups listed below:

• age 60 and older

• age 2 to 17

• a healthcare worker

• pregnant

• living in a nursing home or other long-term care facility

• in regular contact with pigs, poultry or waterfowl

• someone with a health condition that puts you at higher risk of flu (age 6 months and older)

• living with someone who has a health condition that puts them at higher risk of flu

• a carer for someone who has a health condition that puts them at higher risk of flu

How Do I Get the Flu Vaccination at Crumlin Road Pharmacy?

All you have to do is click on the button below and follow the booking instructions

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Should you require more information please visit the following HSE website https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/flu/vaccine/